Conventional water metering has a tendency of being unreliable, inaccurate, and a source of dispute and disquiet among customers, and hence it is considered to be one primary reason why water service providers perform poorly and have very low revenue collection figures. The result of this poor performance spirals into poor management, ineffective maintenance, inaccurate billing and high non-revenue water. This study explored what a prepaid metering project in Nakuru, Kenya achieved, and to see whether or not prepayment can be considered to be an innovative way of addressing these concerns, especially how to provide better service, when providing water to the urban poor. In addition, the study investigated micro financing as tools for supporting efforts by water service providers serving the poor and whether they are an effective way of financing projects. Communal prepaid meters were installed in an existing conventional network and data on commonly used performance evaluation parameters collected through interviews, field visits, and existing literature. The results portrayed prepaid metering with positive improvements to the conventional metering. It was found that there is an opportunity in microfinance for win-win partnerships among financial institutions, water service providers and low-income customers to help them in increasing access to water services. Communal prepaid meters are now bankable and viable options for serving urban poor communities.

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预付费水表是否改善了供水服务的质量？肯尼亚纳库鲁案

常规的水计量有不可靠，不准确的趋势，并且在客户之间引起争议和不安，因此，这被认为是水服务提供商业绩不佳且收税数字非常低的主要原因之一。这种不良性能的结果会导致管理不善，维护效率低下，帐单不准确以及无收入的水过多。这项研究探索了肯尼亚纳库鲁市的预付费计量项目取得的成就，并探讨了是否可以将预付费视为解决这些问题的一种创新方式，尤其是在为城市贫困人口供水时如何提供更好的服务。此外，该研究调查了微额融资作为支持水服务提供商为穷人服务的努力的工具，以及它们是否是对项目进行融资的有效方式。公用预付费电表安装在现有的常规网络中，并且通过访谈，实地考察和现有文献收集了有关常用性能评估参数的数据。结果显示预付费计量对传统计量有积极改进。人们发现，小额信贷有机会在金融机构，供水服务提供商和低收入客户之间建立双赢的伙伴关系，以帮助他们增加供水服务的获取。如今，公用预付费电表可用于为城市贫困社区提供服务，是可行且可行的选择。公用预付费电表安装在现有的常规网络中，并且通过访谈，实地考察和现有文献收集了有关常用性能评估参数的数据。结果显示预付费计量对传统计量有积极改进。人们发现，小额信贷有机会在金融机构，供水服务提供商和低收入客户之间建立双赢的伙伴关系，以帮助他们增加供水服务的获取。如今，公用预付费电表可用于为城市贫困社区提供服务，是可行且可行的选择。公用预付费仪表安装在现有的常规网络中，并且通过采访，实地考察和现有文献收集了有关常用性能评估参数的数据。结果显示预付费计量对传统计量有积极改进。人们发现，小额信贷有机会在金融机构，供水服务提供商和低收入客户之间建立双赢的伙伴关系，以帮助他们增加供水服务的获取。如今，公用预付费电表可用于为城市贫困社区提供服务，是可行且可行的选择。人们发现，小额信贷有机会在金融机构，供水服务提供商和低收入客户之间建立双赢的伙伴关系，以帮助他们增加供水服务的获取。如今，公用预付费电表可用于为城市贫困社区提供服务，是可行且可行的选择。人们发现，小额信贷有机会在金融机构，供水服务提供商和低收入客户之间建立双赢的伙伴关系，以帮助他们增加供水服务的获取。如今，公用预付费电表可用于为城市贫困社区提供服务，是可行且可行的选择。